Roberta Martin facts for kids

Roberta Evelyn Martin (born February 12, 1907 – died January 18, 1969) was an American gospel composer, singer, and pianist. She also helped organize choirs. Roberta Martin helped many other gospel artists start their careers through her famous group, The Roberta Martin Singers.

Roberta Martin's Early Life

Roberta Martin was born in Helena, Arkansas, on February 12, 1907. Her family moved to Chicago in 1917, where she began to study piano. A high school teacher inspired her to dream of becoming a concert pianist. However, her path changed after she played piano for the Young People's Choir at Ebenezer Baptist Church.

There, she met Thomas A. Dorsey, who is known as the "Father of Gospel Music." With his help, Roberta and Theodore Frye created the Martin-Frye Quartet in 1933. This was a youth group with singers like Eugene Smith and Robert Anderson. In 1936, Roberta renamed the group The Roberta Martin Singers. Later, Bessie Folk and Delois Barrett Campbell joined the group in the 1940s.

The group became very successful and set a high standard for gospel choirs. They had hit songs like "Only A Look" and "Grace." Roberta Martin also started her own music publishing company in Chicago in 1939. This company, called Roberta Martin Studio of Music, published songs by many great gospel artists. Her first song, "Try Jesus, He Satisfies," became a hit in 1943. She also directed the choir at Pisgah Baptist Church in Chicago for many years.

Roberta Martin's Music Career

The theme song of The Roberta Martin Singers was "Only A Look." They always sang it at the start of their concerts. They also performed it at their yearly Anniversary Program in Chicago. This song was recorded on the Apollo label and later on the Savoy label.

Roberta Martin's group was special in several ways. It was one of the first gospel groups to have both male and female singers. Roberta liked smooth harmonies and a gentle rhythm. Her singers would be slightly behind the beat, which gave their music a unique feel. For slower songs, she would feature one lead singer. The rest of the group would sing softly in the background. For faster, more energetic songs, she used a "call-and-response" style. This is common in Holiness churches. Roberta also encouraged her singers to keep their own unique voices. This allowed the audience to recognize each singer.

Roberta's piano playing was also a key part of her group's sound. Her piano often set the rhythm for the song. She would also respond to the singers or highlight their performance. Her piano style showed influences from classical training and artists like Arizona Dranes.

Another special part of The Roberta Martin Singers' sound was the Hammond organ played by "Little" Lucy Smith. Her deep starting chord and unique bass pedal sounds set a calm mood. This became a well-known part of a "Roberta Martin gospel song."

Roberta Martin's calm and refined style influenced many gospel artists. These included Albertina Walker, James Cleveland, and Alex Bradford. Cleveland and Bradford even wrote songs for her group early in their careers. Even though her style was calm, her group's music was still very powerful and emotional. As one person said, "Bert would sneak up on you and hurt you."

Roberta took a short break from music in the 1960s because she was battling cancer. But she returned to record her final album, Praise God (from whom all blessings flow). She also recorded the song "I Have Hope," written by her friend Jessie Jimerson. Her group stopped performing after she passed away in 1969. However, the surviving members continued to perform together in reunion concerts for many years. Many members also started their own solo careers, like Delois Barrett and Gloria Griffin. Gloria Griffin wrote the famous gospel song "God Specializes."

Roberta Martin's Passing

Roberta Martin passed away from cancer on January 18, 1969. She was 61 years old. She was very well-known and loved in the African-American community. Her funeral in Chicago was attended by over 50,000 people.

Roberta Martin's Legacy

Roberta Martin wrote about seventy songs. She also arranged and published 280 gospel songs. She inspired thousands of listeners by selling her sheet music. Some of her famous songs include "He Knows Just How Much We Can Bear" and "God Is Still on the Throne" (1959). Other songs are "Let It Be" (1950) and "Just Jesus and Me" (1966).

Roberta earned six Gold records for her music. In 1963, The Roberta Martin Singers performed at the Spoleto Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy. Her biggest contribution to gospel music was creating her own special gospel-piano style. She also created a unique sound for her group. In the mid-1940s, she brought female voices into her all-male group. This was the first time men and women were fully integrated into a gospel chorus.

On July 15, 1998, the United States Postal Service released a special stamp to honor Roberta Martin. This stamp recognized her important influence on music. It was one of four stamps honoring gospel women. The other women honored were Mahalia Jackson, Clara Ward, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe.